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Assessing shutdown damage

The announcements came from Republican leaders and rank-and-file members.

House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling sent out a note for his fall reception and dinner Oct. 23 with fellow financial services panel “special guests” Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Randy Neugebauer (Texas) and Lynn Westmoreland (Ga.). The event asks $5,000 for hosts and $2,500 for supporters as part of the “JEBFund 2013 Program Participation Levels.”

Rep. Todd Young (Ind.), meanwhile, teed up donors for a Nov. 14 breakfast and a lunch fundraiser at Charlie Palmer’s with House Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.). McMorris Rodgers is also lending a hand to Rep. Tim Griffin (Ark.) Nov. 15 for an breakfast event hosted by CMR PAC, International Council of Shopping Centers Inc. PAC and National Multi Housing Council PAC. Cost to attend the Charlie Palmer Steak fundraiser: $1,000 for PACs to attend and $2,000 for PACs to host.

The deluge left many Republican K Streeters joking about how popular they had become post-shutdown and how they no longer have to fill their days of free mornings, afternoons and evenings now that the money chase is back in action.

“One thing I really miss about the shutdown, an inbox free of almost all political fundraising invites,” one Republican lobbyist said.

Rep. Joe Pitts (Pa.) went full on with a trifecta of events, including a Halloween reception Oct. 28 with Rep. Ed Whitfield (Ky.), a Philly cheeseteak lunch on Nov. 12 and hockey game Nov. 20 when the Washington Capitals play the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The reinvigorated fundraising by individual Republican lawmakers comes after many halted their fundraising events in an effort to avoid criticism for continuing to fill their campaign coffers at the same time as they were unable to come to an agreement to fund the government.

One GOP fundraiser said the impact will definitely affect third quarter numbers, particularly for organizations fundraising for their own political action committees and lawmakers fundraising for their reelection committees.

“The number of days that members will be in D.C. just does not allow for a full catchup of the time that has been lost due to canceling fundraisers,” the fundraiser said. “And it isn’t like it starts again immediately - many companies and organizations were strongly opposed to the shutdown, and now that it is over, those feelings aren’t going to go away overnight, they will not turn around and start contributing to members again immediately.”

Of course, not everyone stopped the money chase during the 16-day standoff.

Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) was spotted going into a fundraising event at the National Association of Realtors and other Democrats like Reps. Charlie Rangel (N.Y.) and Sander Levin (Mich.) continued their fundraising.

And others like Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) held off canceling his weekend “fun in the sun” fundraiser that kicks off Friday in Pheonix, Ariz., at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa. Cost to attend: weekend sponsors cut $5,000 checks and VIP guests were exptected to contribute $2,500.